===== Forums Feature on WordPress Personal Webpages =====

<note>bbPress is a plugin that allows the creation of forums/topics on WordPress pages.
Primary purpose behind using bbPress is to use the forums/topics as an alternative for mailing lists.</note>

As you know, we use WordPress for personal webpages on COR@L server. Recently, we installed the plugin - bbPress, such that every COR@L user with a WordPress webpage can create the forums and create/reply to the topics within the forums, from their personal webpage itself. In case if you did not [[coral:migrating_personal_webpages|migrate your personal webpage]], please migrate it so that you can start using this feature of forums/topics. Following are the instructions for using bbPress features.

  - Go to http://coral.ise.lehigh.edu/username/wp-admin with the username replaced by your COR@L ID.
  - Login with your credentials.
  - ''Creating a forum:''
    - Create a forum using either of the following methods.
      - Move to the **+ New** button on the top of the page, and select **forum** in the dropdown menu.
      - In the **Dashboard** on the left hand side, select **New Forum** under **Forums**.
    - Enter the relevant information such as forum name, forum link, type, status, visibility, etc.
    - Set other properties such as discussion features, parent forum, etc.
    - Once everything is ready, click the **Update** button on the right side of the page.
    - User can view the forum using its permalink at http://coral.ise.lehigh.edu/username/forums/forum/forumname/.
    - For additional/detailed information, visit this [[https://codex.bbpress.org/getting-started/configuring-bbpress/creating-content/#creating-a%C2%A0forum|bbPress page on creating a forum]].
  - In a forum, a user can create either additional sub-forums or individual topics.
  - For creating additional sub-forums, follow the above instructions for **Creating a forum**.
  - ''Creating a topic:''
    - Once a forum is created, topics can be added to the forum.
    - Add a topic to the existing forum using either of the following methods.
      - Adding a topic from the front end
        - Go to the forum at http://coral.ise.lehigh.edu/username/forums/forum/forumname/.
        - Scroll down to find **Topic Title**.
        - Fill relevant information and press the **Submit** button.
      - Adding a topic from the back WordPress backend
        - In the Dashboard on your webpage, select **New Topic** under **Topics**.
        - Enter relevant information such as topic title, permalink, type, status, forum, tags, etc.
        - Once everything is ready, press the **Publish** button on the right hand side.
    - For additional/detailed information, visit this [[https://codex.bbpress.org/getting-started/configuring-bbpress/creating-content/#creating%C2%A0a-topic|bbPress page on creating a topic]].
  - Under a topic, a user can add replies for discussion.
  - ''Creating a reply:''
    - Creating/adding replies is highly similar to the creation of topics.
    - There are two ways to add a reply: via front end and via backend.
    - For detailed information, visit this [[https://codex.bbpress.org/getting-started/configuring-bbpress/creating-content/#creating%C2%A0a-reply|bbPress page on creating a reply]].
    - While adding a reply, user can subscribe to the topic by checking the **Notify me of follow-up replies via email** option.

FIXME Instructions to use bbPress as an alternative for mailing lists